Adrian Dunbar
Encyclopedia
Adrian Dunbar is an actor
from Northern Ireland
, best known for his television and theatre work. Dunbar co-wrote and starred in the 1991 film, Hear My Song
, nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the BAFTA awards.
, County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
, the eldest of seven siblings. He was educated by the Presentation Brothers before attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
in London
. He has a daughter and stepson from his 1986 marriage to the Australian actress Anna Nygh. He lives in Crouch End
in North London. He is an avid supporter of Arsenal Football Club in London.
, The Crying Game
, and The General
. He has also had leading roles in the films Triggermen, Shooters, How Harry Became A Tree (with Colm Meaney
), Richard III
, and Widows' Peak
. On television, he starred in the first episode of Cracker, and has been in many British productions, including Tough Love, Inspector Morse
, Kidnapped, Murphy's Law, Murder in Mind, Ashes to Ashes and the 2005 re-staging of The Quatermass Experiment
, among many others,Dunbar always seems to die in every film he has done.
Dunbar's theatre credits include: The Shaughraun and Exiles
at Dublin's Abbey Theatre
; Real Dreams and The Danton Affair at the Royal Shakespeare Company
; King Lear
, Pope's Wedding, Saved and Up To The Sun And Down To The Centre at Royal Court Theatre
, Conversations on a homecoming
at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast
; A Trinity of Two (as Oscar Wilde
) at Dublin's Liberty Hall Theatre; Boeing Boeing (London, 2007). He directed a critically acclaimed production of Philadelphia Here I Come!
. In 2008 he starred in and co-directed Brendan at the Chelsea by Janet Behan, playing the Irish playwright Brendan Behan
.
He played the role of Aufidius in the BBC Radio
production of Coriolanus
. He also made a guest appearance in the BBC Radio 4 series Baldi
, and appeared onstage as Vermeer in an adaptation of Girl with a Pearl Earring
.
In 2008, Dunbar played the role of Philip Conolly in the critically acclaimed award winning The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce
. Dunbar shot the film with fellow Irish actor Ciaran McMenamin
in the remote rain-forests of north west Tasmania
.
Dunbar is planning to direct Connolly, a movie about Irish labour union
organizer James Connolly
as seen through the eyes of his daughter, Nora. The production company is Rascal Films.
He played the mysterious character Martin Summers in the second series of Ashes to Ashes
but was killed off in the final episode of series two.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, best known for his television and theatre work. Dunbar co-wrote and starred in the 1991 film, Hear My Song
Hear My Song
Hear My Song is a 1991 film, written by the actors Peter Chelsom and Adrian Dunbar , based on the story of Irish tenor Josef Locke...
, nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the BAFTA awards.
Personal life
Dunbar was born and brought up in EnniskillenEnniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the eldest of seven siblings. He was educated by the Presentation Brothers before attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He has a daughter and stepson from his 1986 marriage to the Australian actress Anna Nygh. He lives in Crouch End
Crouch End
Crouch End is an area of north London, in the London Borough of Haringey.- Location :Crouch End is in a valley between Harringay to the east, Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green to the north, Finsbury Park and Archway to the south and Highgate to the west...
in North London. He is an avid supporter of Arsenal Football Club in London.
Career
Dunbar has appeared in such notable films as My Left FootMy Left Foot (film)
My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown is a 1989 drama film directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. It tells the true story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot. Christy Brown grew up in a poor, working class family, and...
, The Crying Game
The Crying Game
The Crying Game is a 1992 psychological thriller drama film written and directed by Neil Jordan. The film explores themes of race, gender, nationality, and sexuality against the backdrop of the Irish Troubles...
, and The General
The General (1998 film)
The General is a British-Irish crime film directed by John Boorman about Dublin crime boss Martin Cahill, who pulled off several daring heists in the early 1980s, and attracted the attention of the Gardaí, PIRA, and UVF. The film was shot in 1997 and released in 1998...
. He has also had leading roles in the films Triggermen, Shooters, How Harry Became A Tree (with Colm Meaney
Colm Meaney
Colm J. Meaney is an Irish actor widely known for playing Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is second only to Michael Dorn in most appearances in Star Trek episodes. He has guest-starred on many TV shows from Law & Order to The Simpsons...
), Richard III
Richard III (1995 film)
Richard III is a 1995 drama film adapted from William Shakespeare's play of the same name, starring Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Robert Downey Jr., Nigel Hawthorne, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, John Wood and Dominic West....
, and Widows' Peak
Widows' Peak
Widows' Peak is a 1994 British-Irish film. It stars Mia Farrow, Dame Joan Plowright, Natasha Richardson, Adrian Dunbar and Jim Broadbent. It is directed by John Irvin...
. On television, he starred in the first episode of Cracker, and has been in many British productions, including Tough Love, Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse (TV series)
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis. Dexter makes a cameo appearance in all but three of the episodes....
, Kidnapped, Murphy's Law, Murder in Mind, Ashes to Ashes and the 2005 re-staging of The Quatermass Experiment
The Quatermass Experiment (2005)
The Quatermass Experiment was a 2005 live remake of the 1953 TV series of the same name by Nigel Kneale.-Production:The remake was commissioned as part of a "TV on Trial" season being run by BBC Four, examining past television trends and productions...
, among many others,Dunbar always seems to die in every film he has done.
Dunbar's theatre credits include: The Shaughraun and Exiles
Exiles (play)
Exiles is a play by James Joyce, who is principally remembered for his novels. It draws on the story of "The Dead", the final short story in Joyce's first major work, Dubliners, and was rejected by W. B. Yeats for production by the Abbey Theatre...
at Dublin's Abbey Theatre
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre , also known as the National Theatre of Ireland , is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904. Despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day...
; Real Dreams and The Danton Affair at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
; King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
, Pope's Wedding, Saved and Up To The Sun And Down To The Centre at Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
, Conversations on a homecoming
Conversations on a homecoming
Conversations on a Homecoming is a 1985 play by Irish playwright Tom Murphy. Premiered by the Druid Theatre Company, Galway, Ireland in a production directed by Garry Hynes. As one of the great Irish plays set in a pub, its influence can be seen in more recent plays such as The Weir by Conor...
at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
; A Trinity of Two (as Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
) at Dublin's Liberty Hall Theatre; Boeing Boeing (London, 2007). He directed a critically acclaimed production of Philadelphia Here I Come!
Philadelphia Here I Come!
Philadelphia, Here I Come! is a 1964 play by Irish dramatist Brian Friel. Set in the fictional town of Ballybeg, Co.Donegal, the play launched Friel onto the international stage.-Plot:...
. In 2008 he starred in and co-directed Brendan at the Chelsea by Janet Behan, playing the Irish playwright Brendan Behan
Brendan Behan
Brendan Francis Behan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.-Early life:...
.
He played the role of Aufidius in the BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
production of Coriolanus
Coriolanus (play)
Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Marcius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Caius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus...
. He also made a guest appearance in the BBC Radio 4 series Baldi
Baldi (radio)
Baldi is a BBC Radio 4 murder mystery series whose central character is Paolo Baldi , a Franciscan priest on sabbatical, lecturing on semiotics at a university in contemporary Dublin. After helping the police as a translator for an Italian witness, he turns sleuth...
, and appeared onstage as Vermeer in an adaptation of Girl with a Pearl Earring
Girl with a Pearl Earring (play)
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a 2008 play. Adapted from the novel of the same title by Tracy Chevalier, it premiered at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. It then received its London premiere at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 29 September 2008, directed by Joe Dowling and designed by Peter Mumford...
.
In 2008, Dunbar played the role of Philip Conolly in the critically acclaimed award winning The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce
The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce
The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce is a 2008 Australian film directed by Michael James Rowland starring Irish actors Adrian Dunbar as Philip Conolly and Ciaran McMenamin as Alexander Pearce...
. Dunbar shot the film with fellow Irish actor Ciaran McMenamin
Ciarán McMenamin
Ciarán McMenamin is an Irish actor who is now living in South London. He is best known for playing Matt Anderson, replacing Jason Flemyng as lead on Primeval.- Early life :...
in the remote rain-forests of north west Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Dunbar is planning to direct Connolly, a movie about Irish labour union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
organizer James Connolly
James Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
as seen through the eyes of his daughter, Nora. The production company is Rascal Films.
He played the mysterious character Martin Summers in the second series of Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes (TV series)
Ashes to Ashes is a British science fiction and police procedural drama television series, serving as the sequel to Life on Mars.The series began airing on BBC One in February 2008. A second series began broadcasting in April 2009...
but was killed off in the final episode of series two.
In other media
- He was cast as Bail Organa for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
and appeared in costume in publicity stills, but his scene was cut, and the character was re-cast with Jimmy SmitsJimmy SmitsJimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
for later episodes. Dunbar's likeness was retconned into the appearance of the character Bail Antilles. - He fronts his own band, which has played in such American venues as Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas.
- He sings "The Curragh of Kildare" with Brian KennedyBrian Kennedy (singer)Brian Edward Patrick Kennedy is an Irish singer-songwriter and author, known for his ballads, and has represented Ireland at Eurovision 2006. He is the younger brother of musician Bap Kennedy.-Personal life:...
on Kennedy's On Song, and fronts this song with his own band. - He narrates the audiobook productions of Eoin ColferEoin ColferEoin Colfer is an Irish author. He is most famous as the author of the Artemis Fowl series, but he has also written other successful books. His novels have been compared to the works of J. K. Rowling...
's Artemis FowlArtemis Fowl (series)Artemis Fowl is a series of fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer and all the books are best sellers, starring the teenage criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl II. The author summed up the series as: "Die Hard with fairies." There are seven novels in the series; the first was published in...
series, a bestselling novel. - He played a minor role in the 1988 film, The DawningThe DawningThe Dawning is a 1988 British film, based on Jennifer Johnston's novel, The Old Jest which depicts the Irish War of Independence through the eyes of the Anglo-Irish landlord class...
, alongside Anthony HopkinsAnthony HopkinsSir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
and Hugh GrantHugh GrantHugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
, which led to further early roles in his acting career.
Awards
- He received an honorary degreeHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of Doctor of LettersDoctor of LettersDoctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
from the University of UlsterUniversity of UlsterThe University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
in June 2009 in recognition of his services to acting.
Select Filmography
| Production | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A Touch of Frost | 2010 | Last ever episode |
| Mo | 2010 | TV Film |
| The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce is a 2008 Australian film directed by Michael James Rowland starring Irish actors Adrian Dunbar as Philip Conolly and Ciaran McMenamin as Alexander Pearce... |
2008 | Film |
| The Whistleblowers | 2007 | 1 episode |
| Eye of the Dolphin Eye of the Dolphin Eye of the Dolphin is a 2006 American drama film distributed by Monterey Media and Quantum Entertainmen. The film was written by Wendell Morris and directed by Michael Sellers. It starred Carly Schroeder, Adrian Dunbar, George Harris, Katharine Ross and Christine Adams... |
2007 | Film |
| Child of Mine | 2005 | |
| Against Nature | 2005 | |
| The Quatermass Experiment The Quatermass Experiment (2005) The Quatermass Experiment was a 2005 live remake of the 1953 TV series of the same name by Nigel Kneale.-Production:The remake was commissioned as part of a "TV on Trial" season being run by BBC Four, examining past television trends and productions... |
2005 | |
| Kidnapped | 2005 | Based on the Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.... novel of the same name Kidnapped (novel) Kidnapped is a historical fiction adventure novel by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Written as a "boys' novel" and first published in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, the novel has attracted the praise and admiration of writers as diverse as Henry James, Jorge Luis... |
| Mickybo and Me Mickybo and Me Mickybo and Me is a 2004 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Terry Loane and based on the stage play Mojo Mickybo by Owen McCafferty... |
2004 | Film |
| The Measure of My Days | 2003 | |
| Suspicion | 2003 | |
| Murder in Mind | 2003 | 1 episode: Justice |
| Murphy's Law Murphy's Law (TV series) Murphy's Law is a BBC television drama, produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Northern Ireland, starring James Nesbitt as an undercover police officer, Tommy Murphy. There were five series of the drama, shown on BBC One. The first two were composed of individual stories. Series three, four... |
2003 | 1 episode: Manic Munday |
| Triggermen | 2002 | Film |
| Shooters | 2002 | Film |
| How Harry Became a Tree | 2001 | Film |
| Wild About Harry | 2000 | Film |
| The Wedding Tackle | 2000 | Film |
| Last Orders | 2000 | |
| Tough Love | 2000 | |
| Relative Strangers | 1999 | |
| The Officer from France | 1998 | |
| The Jump | 1998 | 4 episodes |
| The General The General (1998 film) The General is a British-Irish crime film directed by John Boorman about Dublin crime boss Martin Cahill, who pulled off several daring heists in the early 1980s, and attracted the attention of the Gardaí, PIRA, and UVF. The film was shot in 1997 and released in 1998... |
1998 | Film |
| Melissa | 1997 | |
| Richard III Richard III (1995 film) Richard III is a 1995 drama film adapted from William Shakespeare's play of the same name, starring Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Robert Downey Jr., Nigel Hawthorne, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, John Wood and Dominic West.... |
1995 | |
| The Near Room | 1995 | Film |
| Innocent Lies Innocent Lies Innocent Lies is a 1995 British-French thriller film directed by Patrick Dewolf and starring Stephen Dorff, Gabrielle Anwar, Adrian Dunbar and Joanna Lumley. It is a loose adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel Towards Zero. Keira Knightley had an early role in the film, playing the younger... |
1995 | Film |
| Cruel Train | 1995 | |
| The Blue Boy | 1994 | |
| Widows' Peak Widows' Peak Widows' Peak is a 1994 British-Irish film. It stars Mia Farrow, Dame Joan Plowright, Natasha Richardson, Adrian Dunbar and Jim Broadbent. It is directed by John Irvin... |
1994 | Film |
| Pleasure | 1994 | |
| A Woman's Guide to Adultery | 1993 | |
| Cracker Cracker (UK TV series) Cracker is a British crime drama series produced by Granada Television for ITV and created and principally written by Jimmy McGovern. The series is centered on a criminal psychologist , Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald, played by Robbie Coltrane. Set in Manchester, it consists of three series which were... |
1993 | 2 episodes |
| A Statement of Affairs | 1993 | |
| The Crying Game The Crying Game The Crying Game is a 1992 psychological thriller drama film written and directed by Neil Jordan. The film explores themes of race, gender, nationality, and sexuality against the backdrop of the Irish Troubles... |
1992 | Film |
| The Playboys | 1992 | Film |
| Inspector Morse Inspector Morse (TV series) Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis. Dexter makes a cameo appearance in all but three of the episodes.... |
1992 | 1 episode: Dead on Time |
| Force of Duty | 1992 | |
| Children of the North | 1991 | |
| Hear My Song Hear My Song Hear My Song is a 1991 film, written by the actors Peter Chelsom and Adrian Dunbar , based on the story of Irish tenor Josef Locke... |
1991 | Film |
| Drowning in the Shallow End | 1990 | |
| The Englishman's Wife | 1990 | |
| Dealers Dealers (film) Dealers is a 1989 British film directed by Colin Bucksey. It stars Paul McGann and Rebecca De Mornay.-Cast:*Paul McGann as Daniel Pascoe*Rebecca De Mornay as Anna Schuman*Derek O'Connor as Robbie Barrell*John Castle as Frank Mallory... |
1989 | Film |
| My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown | 1989 | Film |
| A World Apart A World Apart (film) A World Apart is a 1988 anti-Apartheid drama, written by Shawn Slovo and directed by Chris Menges. It is based on the lives of Slovo's parents, Ruth First and Joe Slovo. The film was a co-production between companies from the UK and Zimbabwe, where the movie was filmed... |
1988 | Film |
| The Four Minute Mile | 1988 | |
| The Dawning The Dawning The Dawning is a 1988 British film, based on Jennifer Johnston's novel, The Old Jest which depicts the Irish War of Independence through the eyes of the Anglo-Irish landlord class... |
1988 | Film |
| Unusual Ground Floor Conversion | 1987 | Film |
| Strangers in Utah | 1987 | 1 Episode, also featuring Phyllis Law |
| Sky Bandits Sky Bandits Sky Bandits is a 1986 British adventure film about two outlaws from the Wild West, drafted to the battlefields of WWI, who enlist in the fledgling Royal Air Force flying early warplanes called gunbuses.... |
1986 | Film |
| The Price | 1985 | 4 episodes, shot in UT and IL. |
| Play for Today Play for Today Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted... |
1984 | 1 episode: "The Cry" |
| After You've Gone | 1984 |
External links
- Omagh Adrian Dunbar reflects on the Omagh bombing